Letter of the Day | Protesting judges biased, disgraceful

The judges' protest action on Monday is the clearest indication yet that there is no independence or impartiality in the judiciary. All of the 97 judges who participated in the protest action have compromised themselves and they are unfit to sit in any case involving the Government and especially Prime Minister Andrew Holness. They have shown clear bias, and any judgment they pass down should be taken with a grain of salt.

In fact, they have written their judgment (shockingly in quick time), a rarity in our justice system. Perhaps this is the method through which the country can actually get a judgment in reasonable time. Maybe, the 97 judges need to 'meet' more often.

Now, if the matter involving the prime minister and the appointment of the chief justice were to be taken to court, who would preside over the matter? Could any of those judges preside over the matter and handle it fairly? Absolutely not! They have shown their hand and they have come to their own conclusion without submission.

The media have a responsibility to request from the Court Management Services all the courthouses that were affected, in addition to publishing the names of the judges who went on the protest. That they are calling it 'a meeting' is disingenuous and total hogwash.

The cowards could not even have identified themselves so the public knows who they are. Is it that these 97 judges speak on behalf of all the judiciary?

It would be interesting to unearth the organisers of the protest and call them out. Someone had to organise this protest, and the person or people responsible should be known by the public.

To make it worse, the protest by the judges disrupted court sessions across the island, wasting the precious time of witnesses and other persons involved in the court process.

So now, do these judges have any credibility now to reprimand anyone late or absent from court? Should the public follow their example and protest when they hand down sentences that cause disquiet in the society?